Why do so Many UCR students not take food waste and its effects into account when making food choices?

UCR students divert the blame of food wastage even though they make food choices. They claim that the administration, the parents, and the retail industry are at fault for their habit. Accordingly, the text analyses their claims on the matter and offers alternative causes and objections. The essay first analyses issues that students face within the school and the broader context of food wastage, which still affects their choices. UCR students do not consider food wastage in their food for reasons such as apathy and deflection, love for convenience, and retail industry practices.

Apathy and Deflection. Out of the thirty students that I interviewed, 20 of them said that they had little knowledge of how much food they wasted within the campus. One respondent mentioned that even if he knew how much food students were wasting, there was nothing he could do about it. As he alleged, the administration was responsible for curbing waste within the school. One respondent had a particularly compelling answer, “If food wastage was so important, why is it that the school is not making concerted efforts to educate us on wastage? Again, why does the institution not supply us with enough storage space to keep the leftovers if it were a major concern?” Overall, the interviewed students had either no idea that food wastage was a problem or they felt helpless in enforcing changes. From the interviews, it is evident that learners have a culture of deflecting their responsibilities in controlling food waste or understanding its impact. As long as the waste occurred in school, they felt it was the duty of the administration to handle the issue. Surprisingly, those living off campus had a deflective attitude as well. One student said that her waste was insignificant. She believed that the restaurants that she ate had the burden of disposing of the waste considering it offered her unnecessary servings. Students claim that not knowing about the dangers of food wastage is not a satisfactory answer on campus. With the ongoing campaigns and conversations on food wastage, it is likely that the learners are versed in the issue.  Food wastage is a discussion that they possibly heard about even before they joined campus. From the responses, d deflection rather than lack of awareness is more to blame. The students know about the issue but they do not care. It is easier to blame another party, like the school administration for a problem that they cause. If the students were interested in making a change, the administration would be happy to implement their suggestions. Apathy and deflection are essential reasons UCR students do not consider waste in their food choices.

Convenience trumps all other factors, including food wastage and its impact. The students cited convenience as a significant driving force in food choices, with a few thinking of the ensuing wastage. One student said, “Being a student is demanding. ‘I have to juggle studies, sports, and keeping up a social life, all in one day.’ ‘In the end, the last thing on my mind is cooking a meal from scratch, and I order food, which is easier for me. Whatever is left, I throw away in the bin because takeaways are not that tasty the next day.” Other learners shared her sentiments, as they feel that a meal should be easily obtained and done away with altogether. Asked what they do with leftovers, students quipped that they threw them away because they preferred their meals fresh. They also claimed that students are always on the go; hence, they picked foods that would require minimum or little preparation because they have demanding schedules. While it is understandable that students like ready meals, it beats the logic of convenience when they worry about what to do with leftovers. Take away bins would require emptying, which is an added task.  Moreover, it would be faster to warm the leftover food in the microwave given that it is still safe to eat. The argument is that such a meal is not fresh, but it is not necessarily tasteless or harmful for consumption. What students think is convenient, that is, queuing or waiting hours for food, could be improved if they weighed which is more convenient between ordering a fresh meal or warming up leftovers. Although eating in restaurants and take away foods are convenient, ordering fresh meals every time is more taxing to the learners than consuming what is already at hand.

Parenting is to blame for poor food choices. Frizzell states that parents and not millennials are responsible for the food wastage epidemic (2). In fact, Frizzell mentions that millennials are addressing food wastage through photography and social media platforms. Because of the present youths, more people want to know about the food production process and the way they can manage the waste. Parents also have much influence when it comes to food choices as the survey revealed. Ten students that I interviewed claimed that they had no cooking skills. A significant reason for this deficiency was that their parents gave them instant TV dinners, which hardly required any preparation. On multiple occasions, their tired parents would order fast food to appease them. In effect, they relied on these meals which they wasted. The students admitted that if they knew how to cook, they would prepare what they could consume on that day and find creative ways of handling leftovers. Concerning parenting, the students also said that had they been taught the value of food management and reducing waste. For that reason, they would make conscious efforts to prevent food wastage. However, blaming parents at this stage is unfair. Although parenting styles may have influenced their choices, as adults, learning how to cook and accounting for food wastage is a matter of interest. Frizzell’s opinion that youths use their platforms to educate each other on food wastage attests to an interest which they can acquire. Learning how to cook, therefore, is a choice that these students can make. However, it does not mean that those parents are innocent in the matter. Consequently, the students should gain interest in the issue and educate their parents on food preservation. While their parents may have contributed to poor food choices, students can change wasteful practices if they decide to.

The retail industry is also to blame. Patel and Saul posit that companies design the retail system with an overabundance business model (1). In this case, food without blemish should be readily available to the consumers even though it would end up rotting. Indeed, the supermarket culture is responsible for promoting the dissociation between the way food is made and consumed (Frizzell 1-2). In effect, people do not appreciate the process of food production from the farm to the plate. Without this understanding, they find it easy to discard food. Since food is available throughout, consumers are unaware of shortages in the market and the impact of seasonal changes. The retail industry also glamorizes perfection in food products. Most people would throw away a food item if they spotted even the tiniest blemish on it (Frizzell 2). Instead of cutting out the spoilt part of the food, they are frightened that the item is hazardous even though the reality is different. The influence of the retail industry is notable to UCR students.  Most of them go to the grocery store or supermarket and pick items without caring about their origins. The learners also admitted that they are cautious of the foods they select and carefully inspect them to ensure that they are perfect. One student said, “When I go to the supermarket, I expect the fruits and vegetables to be bright-looking and perfect. In one instance, I picked an apple that had a brown patch on it and immediately informed the attendant. He immediately apologized to me and took the fruit away instantly. I admit, the apple was not entirely bad, but I expect nothing less than perfection from food isles.” While the retail industry is substantially responsible for ignorance concerning food wastage, the major problem lies with people. As a nation, citizens are obsessed with perfection in every aspect, which extends to their food items. Consequently, farmers and retailers are forced to discard foods otherwise safe to consume. If people change their attitude towards food, they would be open to understanding the challenges that come with growing and supplying food. The supermarket industry, given its influence on consumers, is capable of not only promoting healthy choices but also can eliminate food waste (Sharp et al. 16). Obsession with perfection is a human problem manifested in the production and supply of food, resulting in unnecessary wastes.

The mentality that donations can solve the food wastage issue is apparent. Many companies consider giving to the poor as the best alternative to food wastage. Correspondingly, a myriad of organizations like ConAgra Foods and Darden have taken advantage of the problem to not only promote their firms but also to minimize food shortage (Patel and Saul 1). Food banks across Europe hand out pamphlets emphasizing the need to donate waste food. Apparently, giving food makes people less guilty about food wastage. From the interviews, students felt good when they donated food to the local food banks. One respondent said, “Donating food to food banks makes me feel that I am doing my part to help the needy. ‘I do not feel bad when I have surplus food in the house because I can always give it away to charity.” The existence of food charities distracts the students and the broader community from the source of the problem, which is food choices. People do not stop to think of the way they can minimize the wastagein the first place. It would be best if they did not buy wastefully instead of donating, which is not as effective.  Patel and Saul (2) also note that giving to the poor is not the best solution to food wastage. It will not only prolong the cycle of food wastage but also it enforces the idea that poor people should accept rejected food because that is what wasted food entails. The donation is a temporary and unfit solution to the problem of food shortage.

Regulations influence food choices and subsequent food wastage. Linnekin states that most of the food wastage is not as a result of carelessness but government regulations (1). In Western countries like Italy, the businesses complain that laws prohibit the sharing of food and require record keeping of the items.Consequently, they find it cheaper to waste food. Instead of reducing food wastage, the rules begrudgingly force businesses to throw away food. In the university context, the respondents revealed that proposing changes to the administration will have unnecessary hassles. One student said, “I would love to aid in decreasing food wastage, but the process seems tedious. I am not aware of the number of offices I need to approach, but bureaucracy will demoralize me. It is better to ignore the problem than being frustrated while trying to change things.” Linnekin states that fewer regulations would yield less wastage. With fewer rules, people would have the incentive to distribute unwanted food. Regulations discourage people’s efforts to reduce food wastage, but with leniency, there will be less food wasted.

UCR students do not consider food wastage in their food for reasons like apathy and deflection, love for convenience, retail industry practices. Regardless of their justification, learners can still curb food wastage if they have an interest in food production, preparation, and change their minds about food. Notably, students also represent a widespread problem in society. The retail industry, policy, and donation quandary affect the community. Food wastage is a problem that can the stakeholders involved, including students, can resolve if they consider their food choices wisely.

Works Cited

Bloom, Jonathan. “Schools Can Reduce Food Waste by Teaching Students the Value of Food.” Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2019. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/ZWMBMY868882736/OVIC?u=ucriverside&sid=OVIC&xid=aff2b003. Accessed 12 Feb. 2019.

Frizzell, Nell. “Don’t Blame Millennials for Widespread Food Waste.” Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2019. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/OZXXON537863893/OVIC?u=ucriverside&sid=OVIC&xid=5b7c83d1. Accessed 12 Feb. 2019. Originally published as “Food Waste is a Scandal, But to Blame It on Millennials Is Nonsense,” Guardian, 13 Feb. 2017

Linnekin, Baylen. “Focus on Quality Not Quantity When Passing Laws to Reduce Food Waste.” Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2019. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/YIGSYK599855126/OVIC?u=ucriverside&sid=OVIC&xid=3bca5199. Accessed 12 Feb. 2019. Originally published as “How Government Encourages Food Waste,” Foundation for Economic Education, 15 Aug. 2016.Originally published as “Schooling Food Waste: How Schools Can Teach Kids to Value Food,” The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Nov. 2016.

Patel, Raj, and Nick Saul. “Table scraps for the poor won’t end poverty; Treating the hungry like walking compost bins is not only undignified, it’s bad public policy.” Globe & Mail [Toronto, Canada], 27 Jan. 2017, p. A13. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A479142288/OVIC?u=ucriverside&sid=OVIC&xid=8e0ba47b. Accessed 12 Feb. 2019.

Sharp, Stephen, Martine Stead, Ashley Adamson, Martin White, and Jean Adams. Supermarket policies on less-healthy food at checkouts: Natural experimental evaluation using interrupted time series analyses of purchases. PLOS Medicine, 15 (12), 2018.

 
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